quarry

¹

[ kwawr-ee, kwor-ee ]

noun

, plural quar·ries.

1. an excavation or pit, usually open to the air, from which building stone, slate, or the like, is obtained by cutting, blasting, etc.
2. an abundant source or supply.

verb (used with object)

, quar·ried, quar·ry·ing.

1. to obtain (stone) from or as if from a quarry.
2. to make a quarry in.

quarry

²

[ kwawr-ee, kwor-ee ]

noun

, plural quar·ries.

1. an animal or bird hunted or pursued.
2. game, especially game hunted with hounds or hawks.
3. any object of search, pursuit, or attack.

quarry

³

[ kwawr-ee, kwor-ee ]

noun

, plural quar·ries.

1. a square stone or tile.
2. quarrel ²( def 2 ).

quarry

¹

/ ˈkwɒrɪ /

noun

1. an animal, bird, or fish that is hunted, esp by other animals; prey
2. anything pursued or hunted

quarry

²

/ ˈkwɒrɪ /

noun

1. a square or diamond shape
2. something having this shape
3. another word for quarrel 2

quarry

³

/ ˈkwɒrɪ /

noun

1. an open surface excavation for the extraction of building stone, slate, marble, etc, by drilling, blasting, or cutting
2. a copious source of something, esp information

verb

1. to extract (stone, slate, etc) from or as if from a quarry
2. tr to excavate a quarry in
3. to obtain (something, esp information) diligently and laboriously

   he was quarrying away in the reference library

Other Words From

• quarri·a·ble quarry·a·ble adjective
• un·quarried adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of quarry¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English noun quarrei, quarey, quar(r)i, from Medieval Latin quareia, quarrea, quareria, from Old French quarriere, from unrecorded Vulgar Latin quadrāria “place where stone is squared,” derivative of Latin quadrāre “to square”

Origin of quarry²

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English quirre, querre, quirrei “parts of a deer given to the hounds,” from Old French cuiree, cuiriee, curee “viscera, entrails” (probably influenced by cuir “leather, hide, skin”), from Latin corium “skin, hide, leather”), from Late Latin corāta (plural) “entrails,” from cor “heart”

Origin of quarry³

First recorded in 1535–45; noun use of obsolete adjective quarry “square,” from Old French quarre, from Latin quadrātus quadrate

Word History and Origins

Origin of quarry¹

C14 quirre entrails offered to the hounds, from Old French cuirée what is placed on the hide, from cuir hide, from Latin corium leather; probably also influenced by Old French coree entrails, from Latin cor heart

Origin of quarry²

C16: from Old French quarré; see quarrel ²

Origin of quarry³

C15: from Old French quarriere, from quarre (unattested) square-shaped stone, from Latin quadrāre to make square

Example Sentences

As Sally flees in the bed of a pickup truck, hysterical and soaked in blood, Leatherface dances with his chain saw, an expression of frustration at losing his quarry, but also the reaction of someone who won’t be punished or held to account.

From Slate

Their jobs evaporated, and they turned their attention to human quarry.

From Slate

Emergency services were called to Quarry Street in Hamilton about 00:40, and pronounced the man dead at the scene.

From BBC

She is continuing to promote other projects, including a proposal to convert two old gravel quarry pits into giant reservoirs where storm runoff could be routed to recharge the aquifer and reduce flood dangers downstream.

From Los Angeles Times

Australia is rich in natural resources and has long been the world’s quarry.

From BBC